


An Arlex Story

by Mozzermorris



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: Arlex, F/F, Love, Revenge, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-05-19 09:32:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14871228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mozzermorris/pseuds/Mozzermorris
Summary: Alex wants to get back at Spencer through Toby but quickly learns that her love can overpower her hate but she makes a few pretty rash decisions to get the love she wants. This is the one where Alex kidnaps Aria.





	1. Revenge

Alex places her head in her hands roughly. How had she let herself get like this? She has never felt so powerful, yet so weak. 

She had a plan, a damn good one at that. She was going to get back at Spencer for everything she had put her through, her entire childhood of never fitting in or being wanted just so Spencer could have a good, happy life with the perfect family and the perfect friends along with the perfect relationship. She needed to suffer just like she did. That was the plan. Toby is an easy target, take him down and Spencer is vulnerable, she proved that when she had thought that he had died and was sent to Radley. He is the key to her success. 

It would be easy but she can't bring herself to do it, not anymore. Now there is a new plan, one that doesn't involve Toby or Spencer. It only involves on other person and it'd the same person that is causing her to become weak. A short brunette with enough compassion that she could take over the world and everyone would welcome her as their new leader with open arms and toss their guns away.

Aria. 

The girl haunts her dreams and crushes her hate in a way that she can't resist. At first she thought she could work around it by tricking her into joining her but her heart is too pure and watching her cry to herself once she had hurt her friends was enough to make her stop and formulate a new plan pretty quickly. She thought about killing Ezra but that would push her further away. She won't be accepted if she introduces herself because they will find out about her past and put the dots together when she comes into their lives and the messages stop. This will take a plan that is going to take time. Time that she doesn't have in Rosewood. Well if there isn't time in Rosewood, then she won't stay in Rosewood. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Aria lets herself fall back onto the couch for the third day in a row. Her and Ezra have been arguing every day so she is trying to give them space by sleeping separate from each other, only leaving their shared bed once he is asleep so he can't try and make her stay. He was convinced that it's just pre-wedding jitters but she knows that he is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she can't have kids, she should know because all she does is think about it. She had always dreamed of one day getting married and having kids but now she had doubts about even getting married. She knows how much Ezra has wanted a kid, ever since the Malcolm incident. 

She tries to get comfortable but her mind is working at a mile a minute and she is trying desperately not to cry as her life seems to be imploding around her. She can't even talk to her friends because she doesn't want to smother them with her problems when they are still mad at her for betraying them. They don't even know about her not being able to have kids yet. 

After a good three hours of tossing and turning she decides to just get a drink of water to help her relax. She brushes her hair out her face as she slips into a sitting position to stand up. The walk to the kitchen is purposefully slow, taking her time to focus on anything else but her problems for a few minutes at least. The low buzzing of the fridge is soothing as she reaches in to find a chilled bottle of water. The lid is on too tight so she struggles to uncap it so she decides to walk back to the couch and retry once she is there. 

Aria turns and is startled as she sees a figure standing before her. 

"Spence? What are you doing here?"

"Need some help with that?" The words sounded strange, it was Spencer's voice but the accent was thick and British. 

"Why are you talking like that?" Aria is confused as to why her friend has shown up unannounced in the middle of the night talking in a strange accent. "Do I need to call Toby for you?" 

"No, I came here for you. I couldn't sleep and wanted to go for a drive. Sound good?" She was talking normally now and acting really weirdly but she had nothing better to do so she nodded and let Spencer lead her outside, still in her sweatpants. 

Her eyes surveyed the area but couldn't see her car anywhere. "Where's your car Spence?"

"Spencer's car isn't here. We'll be taking my ride now." Aria went to turn to look at her friend confusedly but before she could she was grabbed from behind with an arm around her shoulders and a hand holding a cloth over her nose and mouth. She struggled to get away and fight the drowsiness but eventually failed and had to give in to the figure that may or may not be Spencer. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Alex couldn't believe that she had actually done it but as she looked back at Aria laying tied and unconscious in her back seat she knew that she had really done it. She smiles at the peaceful look on her love's face, happy that she is asleep because she knows how restless the girl has become based on the cameras she had installed in all of the girls' houses that she had now redirected the connection of so that they can't be traced back to her when the cops find them. They will only find a name, Vivian Darkbloom. 

After Aria had stopped struggling and gone completely slack against her she slipped the rag into her pocket and lifted Aria so that she was in her arms bridal style. She couldn't help but to stare at her whilst enjoying the weight of her. She truly belonged to her now. She walked at a brisk pace to avoid the risk of being seen as she approached her truck. She placed Aria on the back seat before reaching into the bed of the truck to locate the ropes she had stored there. It took a few seconds to untangle them but when she did she smiled. Alex started with her feet first tying them together before circling the rope up her legs too, no reason why not. Next she turned her over so she could tie her arms together behind her, once again circling the ropes up her limbs also before taking the time to gently turn her over so that she's once again on her back with a pillow under her head, Alex was glad she thought ahead on bringing one for her because she looks so peaceful. Once that was done she threw the remaining pieces of rope back into the bed before reaching into her glove box to retrieve a strip of fabric to tie around her face as a gag. She didn't enjoy this task but knew it was necessary if she wanted to get away with it. 

Once she had completed this task she covered Aria with a blanked that is pulled up enough to cover her lower face so to passers by she simply looks like she is asleep. Alex is sure to lock up before re-entering the apartment and taking a few sets of clothes for Aria, along with pigtunia for comfort. She went to the cameras to take them down and corrupt to footage, placing them in a backpack she had brought with her before exiting, leaving the door wide open.


	2. Trip

Alex winces as they hit pothole after pothole, Aria was still blissfully asleep but she couldn't help but feel guilty as she tries to drive as smoothly as possible. She tries to focus on her driving but is still is shock, she has successfully acquired the object of her heart. Her mind is racing with both positive and negative thoughts, what if Aria sees her as nothing more than a monster, a kidnapper? Simple, she will let her go, not immediately but she will. Aria's happiness means more to her than anything but her heart longs for the younger girl more than anything she has longed for. She spent years wishing for a real family, someone to care for her but none of that matters now all she needs is this beautiful brunette.

She takes a glance back at her for a few seconds, chuckling at how she had thought that she wanted Toby. Toby is nothing compared to her, why was Spencer blind to that? Spencer hadn't even tried to make a move on Aria and that baffles her to no end, are they really twins or is this some magical illusion? They are so different. Part of her wants to know her sister but she still holds all of that hate and fury towards her, maybe her love can help her overcome that. Her Aria has always been good with the soppy stuff. 

The flashing of lights refocuses her attention to the real world. Shit. A cop car is pulling her over. She glides the car over to the curb and winds down her window as the cops come strolling over.

"Ma'am were you aware that this is a 30 and you were going 45?"

"I'm so sorry officer, I'm not from around here so I'm still getting used to it." Alex purposely uses her accent, thickening it slightly, hoping that she can be on her way as soon as possible. 

"British? I'm going to have to ask you for your licence please ma'am." Alex takes out the licence from her wallet theatrically, trying to keep the focus on her not the body on her backseat however the cop had noticed way before Alex had even thought about it. 

As the licence was being looked over the cop finally made a comment. "What's up with your friend back there." 

Alex panics, afraid that she had been caught before they had even managed to leave the state. "Jet lag. We're visiting friends and I offered to drive because she was tired, I'm pretty lagged myself which is probably why I was driving like that. I will have to stop at the nearest gas station to get a coffee."

"Alright Ms. Jones be safe on your journey and keep an eye on your driving, this is your only warning."

"Thank you officer." Alex lets out a huge sigh of relief, glad that she had taken the time to get a fake licence just in case, if she hadn't she would definitely have been caught by now.

That little interruption just cost them 15 minutes that she doesn't have. Aria will be awake by the time they get on the plane now for sure. 

"That was a close one wasn't it my love?" Alex speaks to the unconscious Aria with a soft tone. "I will never let anyone hurt you, I promise." She adds as she moves her right hand back to caress her face gently, moving some hair out her eyes. 

Alex then refocuses, if they get held up again they will miss their plane. The drive isn't long following this just a couple of hours. The radio was on quietly, soft rock music filling the silence. Alex sings along lightly to whatever was playing at the time. Her eyes light up as they are coming up to the last stretch before they reach the air field. 

The sun is just beginning to rise and a soft orange glow coats the land around them as they drive up to the entrance. Alex has truly never felt happier than she does at this very moment. She gets out of the car to greet her friend. "Hey Matt, y'alright mate?" 

"I'm great now I've seen you. It's been a while." Alex and Matt were at the same care home back in England and go way back so he has no problem helping out an old friend. 

"Is the plane ready?" Alex cuts right to the chase.

"We're slightly behind schedule after our fuel shipment arrived late but we can set off in about an hour so climb on and make yourselves comfortable. I'll let you know when we are ready." Matt walks off before Alex can question him further so she simply leaves the car where it is, knowing that she had planned for someone to pick it up later and grabs the bags that she had packed. The stroll to the plane is leisurely at best. It wasn't overly big for a plane but it perfect for their trip. 

Once Alex had climbed the stairs she entered the cabin they would be staying in for the next six hours. "Not too shabby." She whispers out as she secures their luggage in a corner, it can be moved before they take off. Right now her priority is moving Aria here without anyone noticing the state she is in, even Matt can't know that she isn't aware of this. 

Alex quickens her pace to the truck as she hears muffled cries coming from inside. Aria has clearly woken up in the time that she had gone. She opens the door to see Aria struggling against the ropes. "Easy there, you'll hurt yourself if you carry on." She speaks softly which soothes the tiny brunette somewhat but she is still panicking. "I'm going to take the gag off but you need to promise not to scream. Do you understand?" Aria nods frantically, she is struggling to breathe around the cloth and she is on the verge of a panic attack. 

Alex climbs in next to Aria and reaches behind her head to untie the knot. The material slips away and she feels guilty as she sees the girl take in several large breaths as tears spill out of her beautiful hazel eyes. "I'm sorry about that. I'm not going to hurt you I promise."

"Who are you? You look like Spencer but you're not, am I crazy?" Aria sounds weak but she never looks away from Alex's face, taking in every detail. 

"You're not crazy and I'm not Spencer, I will explain everything in a second but first I have to move you. We can't let anyone see the ropes or else they will stop us and you'll never know the truth."

Alex is hoping that Will agree to help her rather than being forced to knock her out again. "Why not untie me?"

"Because we both know you will run." Alex smirks lightly as she says this which strangely enough also makes Aria chuckle. 

"You're right about that." Alex's smile drops at this." Will you at least untie my legs then, if I'm being forced to go somewhere on a flying tin can like that one, I'd like to do it with some dignity." Aria nods to the plane through the window as she speaks, knowing that she won't get away now. Her best bet is to stay on the good side of this girl. She hates to admit it but she does feel safe with her and she wants to find out about her and why she has done this to her rather than the other girls. She has so many questions. 

"That's a deal but if you try anything, I will have to knock you out again. Alright?" Aria nods her understanding and watches closely as nimble fingers until the knots around her legs. She assesses her, finding all of the small differences between her and her friend. Her shoulders are broader and she is more muscular that Spencer but she isn't quite as tall as her although she is still 5'8" easily. 

Aria stretches her legs out as they become free, they ache slightly but aren't too bad. Alex pulls her up into a sitting position with her legs out of the car but she is still sitting inside. The taller girl wraps the blanket around her top half so that the ropes are covered and she holds her from behind as they stand up so she can't run away. "Leave all the talking to me, I promise you'll be safe as long as you go along with this." Alex whispers into her ear as they begin the ascent up to the plane. Thankfully, nobody had even thrown a glance in their direction since they left the car. 

Alex settled Aria down in a plush leather chair on the plane and took a seat opposite her. The door had been shut firmly and she attempted to find the right words to tell Aria her story. "I'm sorry Aria, I know you don't want to be here but I need you to give me a chance. I'll start from the beginning, I'm Alex."

Alex rubs her hands down over her thighs, wiping away the sweat that was pooling up there. "Spencer is my sister but we were separated, she doesn't know about me." Aria takes in the sadness that has washed over Alex and wants to comfort her even though she has kidnapped her and tied her up in the middle of the night. "Our mother is Mary Drake, our father is Peter Hastings. Veronica insisted on adopting Spencer but I was sent to England. I had a family for a while but-" She pauses as she tries not to cry. "They had their own kid and they didn't need me anymore." A tear slips out of Alex's eye and Aria watches it trace it's way over her cheekbone and down her face. 

"I'm sorry Alex, nobody deserves that." Aria whispers as she leans forward, wanting to take her hand but is met with the ropes burning against her raw wrists. She winces slightly. Alex notices and forgets her story for a second. 

"The ropes are hurting you, you should have said." Alex panics and stands so she can loosen the ropes, the last person she wants to hurt is Aria. 

"Well captors aren't all as compassionate as you seem to be so I guess I assumed that you wouldn't care." Aria attempted to make a joke because the air had become so thick with tension that you could cut it with a rusty nail. 

The ropes were taken off of Aria's wrists completely and Alex moves away from her. "Please don't run away, I need you to know."

"Okay, I promise." Aria cracks her wrists as she stretches her arms out after having them behind her back for several hours while the ropes get stored into one of the bags which makes her feel a lot better, knowing that she won't be tied up again any time soon. 

Once they both get comfortable Alex continues her story. "I was put in a group home when I was five and stayed there until I turned sixteen, then I ran away with one of my friends. Matt is the owner and pilot of this plane." Alex smiles as she talks about Matt, they must be great friends, Aria notes. 

"It was a struggle with shitty bar tending jobs until I got a job as a mechanic for a few years. I earn ed a lot of money through that, restoring cars and then selling them on but I couldn't help but wonder where I came from so I did some digging, a lot of digging actually, until I found some of my files. I found out about Mary and Spencer. I guess I know it's not Spencer's fault but I still wanted revenge." Aria tenses at this revelation and Alex takes note of it, she tries to backtrack and justify herself. "I don't want that now, I swear but at the time all I saw was her great life in comparison to my shitty one. I wanted that, wanted people who loved me." 

Alex puts her head in her hands and cries heavily, her whole body shakes as she does. "I'm sorry Aria, I'm so sorry."The last thing she was expecting was to be embraced by a warm body. Aria was standing up while she was sitting so it was a little awkward but Alex rejoiced in the feeling. 

Alex picks her head up so Aria lets go. "There's more." Aria sits back down but not in her own chair. She takes a seat on the edge of Alex's chair. "I knew Charlotte. She came and found me after she had left Rosewood. It was her that convinced me to get revenge. She explained the game to me, told me to become AD and I can have anything I wanted. I was stupid enough to believe her so she came back to Rosewood first, she was going to start it back up for me but then she was killed and I got so angry. She was the first person to care about me in so long and then she was gone. I wanted revenge and I thought you and your friends were responsible." 

Aria moves back to her own chair as she tries to process this information. She knows who AD is. She's in the same room as her. "You were trying to hurt Spencer this whole time?" 

"Yes." Alex sobs. "I was going to trick Toby into thinking I was her so I could hurt her through him but I couldn't. I tried but then I-" 

"You what?" Aria was getting impatient and just wanted to know the truth. It was clear that Alex was tricked into hurting them but that doesn't mean she can't be held accountable. 

"I fell in love with you." It came out in a whisper and Aria was left speechless as her world came crashing down around her and she fainted. 

Alex watched as Aria struggled to take in the information and sprung to her feet as she saw the girl's knees buckle as she passed out. She was glad that there was a bed so she could lay the girl down gently. Then she made her way to the bathroom so she could clean up and wash away all traces of her pain. Well, that couldn't have gone worse. Yes it could Alex, you idiot she could have yelled and attacked you. Alex thinks to herself as she stares at her reflection. She stays in there for several minutes until she hears a soft knock on the door. 

"Alex?" There is another knock on the door. "Alex, I'm sorry." 

Alex was frozen. Why was Aria still here? She was expecting the girl to have left. She unlocks the door slowly and takes a few seconds to collect herself before opening the door. 

"I didn't mean to freak out on you, it's just a lot to take in, you know?" Aria mumbles out as she looks down at the ground, avoiding Alex's gaze guiltily.

"I get it, I shouldn't have told you that. If you want to leave I won't stop you but I would really like it if you stayed with me." Alex stepped past Aria and sat back down in the same seat as before and the younger girl followed suit. 

"I don't know Alex." The girl looked torn. "You have no idea how much I would love to run away right now, to disappear and never come back but I have a family, friends,a fiance."

Alex nodded sadly. "I know, I know you aren't going to come with me but I had to try." 

"I haven't decided yet but It might help if you told me where you were planning on taking me." Aria smiles gently. She really wants to go with Alex, even though she knows that realistically it's a bad move, I mean the girl kidnapped her for Pete's sake. 

"Paris. I thought you would like it there." Alex says shyly, a blush working its way up her neck. 

That was all Aria needed to be convinced, to hell with reality, it's time for her to live for herself for once and put Rosewood behind her for a while. "Then what are we waiting for Alex?" The taller girl looked bewildered. "Let's go."

"Really?" Alex was shaken, she wasn't expecting her to come with her willingly. 

"Why not? I could stay there but I wouldn't be doing it for myself, I want to get to know you Alex so when do we leave?"

Alex doesn't think that she had ever smiled that widely in her whole life and started laughing when Aria's face mirrored her own. "I'm not sure but soon so we should get ready for take off." 

Aria didn't say anything, she simply stood and pulled Alex to her feet and into a hug. "Thank you for telling me and for this. I think I'm really going to enjoy getting to know you as long as you don't end up being a sociopath." 

Alex laughed boisterously at Aria as she listened to what she was saying. "Well then I think you're in luck."

"Is that laughter I hear?" Matt enters the cabin. "Who are you and what have you done to Alex?" 

"Hey! I laugh all the time." Alex shouts playfully after stepping away from Aria. 

"Uh huh. Who are you convincing?" Alex fixes a playful glare on Matt which causes Aria to laugh. "And you must be the famous Aria that Alex told me about. Welcome on board." 

"And you must be Matt. Thanks for the ride, we are really grateful, right Alex?"

"I think you have the wrong Alex there." Matt jokes. "Anyway, we're preparing for lift off so take your seats and fasten your belts until I turn the seat belt light off in that corner over there." Matt gestures to the light before making a swift exit with a grand wave. 

The girls smile softly at each other as they secure the bags in the over head compartments on on side of the plane before moving to sit down. 

"This is going to be one hell of an adventure for us Alex."

"That it is."


	3. Let's Go

Alex and Aria had fallen into a comfortable silence as they began to take off. Alex closed her eyes and leaned her head back as she enjoyed the sensation of taking off, Aria , however, isn't enjoying the ride quite as much. Her hands gripped the arms of the chairs so tightly that her knuckles were completely white and her fingertips were throbbing with a dull ache. Her hazel eyes were screwed shut tightly and she was completely tense. 

After Alex's ears had popped from the change in air pressure she opened her eyes to see how Aria was fairing and discovered that she was completely oblivious to the fear that Aria was experiencing whilst she was enjoying herself. "Aria are you okay?" She wasn't surprised when she didn't receive a response. She reached out to take Aria's hand but as soon as she made contact Aria jerked away from her. 

Alex recoiled at the rejection, unsure of what to do now. Torn between helping her and leaving her be she simply watched Aria as she fought to regain control of her body. "Please don't touch me." Aria states firmly, more of a demand than a request.

"I'm sorry, I just thought-" 

"It doesn't matter what you thought, I may have agreed to come with you but that doesn't mean I can forgive or forget what you have done." She refused to break her eye contact with Alex as she spoke, she isn't here to make friends or new relationships, she's here to forget her old ones. 

They both look up as a soft ding fills the cabin and the seat belt light flicks off. "I'm going to take a nap, whatever you used before has left me a little drowsy so I'm going to try and sleep it off." Alex nods her acceptance. This is a rift that needs to be fixed one way or another. The trip to Paris is only a week long and then she was planning on taking her back to her country home in England to live. There is no way that she will go back to England with her now unless she makes her. She will do that if it comes to it but she had really hoped that Aria had meant that she's going to stay with her forever, it was a long shot but that is what Alex had already been living off her whole life. 

Aria had moved to lay on her side facing the wall as far away from her as possible but no matter how long she lay there with her eyes closed, sleep isn't coming to her naturally. Her mind is racing, how can she just up and leave? She has a family. Her parents will notice that she has disappeared, she has a lunch date with her mother tomorrow and her and Ezra were going to have a date to try and get back to a better place before they continue their marriage preparations. Not to mention her friends, her relationship with them has become extremely strained but they were all working really hard to get past everything that had happened with AD or well Alex it seems, especially Spencer. Both of them were trying to get Sparia to work the way it is supposed to, they have always been so in sync with each other but it seemed that this time Spencer couldn't see the pain that Aria was in and she blames herself for that. Aria could really do with some Sparia time mixed with some of Spencer's amazing advice right about now. 

Truth be told, the longer she spends in that plane, the more she wants to be back on her couch, itching to call her best friend for a gossip and some too-strong coffee. She was being selfish when she said that she wants to go to Paris, to avoid her problems. Life doesn't work that way. Her mind is made. "Alex, I don't want to go to Paris anymore. I'm going to catch a flight back once we get there."

Alex jumps violently when she hears Aria speak, she thought that the tiny brunette had fallen asleep hours ago. It took her longer than she is willing to admit to process what had been said. "You're leaving me?" She choked on the words, unused to this kind of vulnerability. 

"I was never with you." The words are cold, void of emotion. 

Tears begin to cascade sown her cheeks, her hand is being forced. She stands slowly, reluctantly. Her feet shakily bring her to her bags so she can search through them until she finds what she requires but despises so strongly. Aria hadn't moved from where she lay facing away from her. She walks softly enough that Aria doesn't hear her approaching cautiously. 

Alex springs into action, throwing herself onto Aria, pinning her down, her hands holding Aria's down as she sits on her thighs. "I need you, I cant let you leave, I'm sorry." She whispers softly as Aria fights against her but Alex is too strong, much more muscular than Spencer is. Alex makes quick work of handcuffing Aria's hands to the bed above her. Aria begins to shout for help, knowing that Matt doesn't know about Alex's plan but her mouth is quickly covered by a strong hand, her cries coming out in muffled whimpers. "Please don't make this any harder than it has to be Ar." 

Alex moves to the side of Aria, still holding her hand firmly in place. "I'm going to let go, but only if you promise not to scream alright?" She gets an exaggerated nod in response. She take her hand away from Aria's face slowly, taking a second to wipe away her tears as she listens to the girl's heartbreaking sobs.

"Please Alex, I just want to go home." Her whole body is shaking violently. 

"That's all I want too, you'll see it as home too soon enough, I promise." Alex stroked her hair before moving to gag her, just as she had done just a few short hours before.

"No, please don't! I promise I won't scream." Aria panics as she sees Alex's intentions. 

"I can't risk that, my love." She doesn't gag her right away which confuses Aria but as she sees the taller girl pull out two pills she understands why she hadn't done it yet. "Take these and by the time you wake up you'll be in the bed of our hotel room in Paris."

Aria knows that she is in no position to argue as the girl lifts her chin up and places the pills into her mouth and swallows them harshly as Alex brings a water bottle up to her lips. "I'm just going to gag you until I know you're definitely out, I'll uncuff you then too baby, now relax." Alex doesn't delay in gagging her before moving away from her. She flops back onto her chair, watching as all consciousness fades from Aria's tiny body within minutes.


	4. Arrival

Alex had stuck to her word and freed Aria of her confines once she was sleeping soundly but couldn't help but want to keep them on, to know that no matter what Aria can't leave her, she can't run away. Aria had believed in her for a split second when she had said she wanted to come with her and she is determined to make Aria believe in her again. They can be happy together, she just knows it. 

Paris is beautiful, not nearly as gorgeous as Aria but a close second, Alex decides. The girl in question has been asleep for much longer than she had first anticipated, perhaps due to her size. She is on top of the silk sheets of the bed, now dressed in a beautiful lace nightgown. Alex had changed her but the experience wasn't sexual, more sensual and led Alex to falling more in love with her as she noted the softness of her skin and the firmness hiding beneath her flesh, truly perfect.

Once it reaches late afternoon and Aria has been asleep for nearly seven hours, Alex decides to try and wake Aria, the girl hasn't eaten and her health comes before anything else. 

"Aria, Ari, wake up." She calls softly as she shakes the girl's shoulder lightly. She twitches slightly but doesn't wake. "Come on baby, time to wake up." Aria's eyes open slowly, filled with a mixture of drowsiness and confusion. 

"Wha...where.." Aria tries to make a coherent sentence but the banging in her head in causing her too much pain so she is forced to wince and cover her eyes with her hands as she tries to sit up. "Ow." She groans in pain, only causing the throbbing to increase.

Alex panics at the clear pain spread across Aria's face until she remembers the side effects of the pills. Damn, they really were a bad idea. She grabs a bottle of water from the mini fridge and takes it over to Aria, unscrewing the lid and holding it up to her lips gently. 

Aria senses the presence of someone else in the room and is forced to open her eyes when something cool is pressed against her lips. She realises what is happening and parts her lips, allowing the cool liquid to run down her dry throat, quenching her thirst. But the position feels all too familiar and the memories come rushing back to her, causing her to flinch away quickly, scooting further across the bed. Alex watches Aria as she tries to understand what is going on in her confused state worriedly, she had no idea that the pills were that strong so she doesn't know how to help her. "It's okay, you're safe. It's just me, It's Alex." She attempts to calm the girl. 

"Alex?" Aria whimpers, torn between seeking comfort and recoiling away from her kind-hearted captor.

"Yeah, it's just me. You're okay." Alex moves towards the shorter girl tentatively, as if trying not to startle an injured bird. She watches as the weakened girl lets go of the tension in her shoulders and slumps back down onto the bed, the action seeming like she is giving up on something. Alex brushes her hand along Aria's arm, joyful that she hasn't pulled away. She then takes this as a sign to carry on so she hooks an arms around the girl's back, manoeuvring until she is sitting up, leaning into her side. Once Alex is bearing the weight of the girl she once again brings the water up to her lips, encouraging her to drink. "This will make you feel better Ari, please drink." 

Aria guzzles the water greedily, much to Alex's satisfaction but she can't bring herself to smile with the knowledge that she had put Aria in such a state in the first place. She was planning on taking the girl out tonight but she clearly isn't up to it so she will order some room service and they can watch some crappy movies until she is rested enough. For now she is stroking the wild mane of brown hair, smoothing it down and massaging her scalp. "I'm so sorry." Tears leak out of her eyes as she whispers to the girl.

"Alex, where are my clothes?" Aria mumbles, burrowing into the comforting warmth.

"I thought you might want to sleep in something comfier so I changed you into this, I didn't do anything inappropriate don't worry. I just thought you would look beautiful in it." She explained anxiously, unsure of how she will take it. 

"Okay." The girl didn't have the energy to argue, she felt vulnerable but safe in the arms of her captor. "I'm sorry I went off on you before, but I have people I care about in Rosewood and I can't just leave them behind." She spoke softly, trying to appeal to the softer side of Alex.

"What if I make you a deal?" Alex shifted to look into Aria's eyes as she spoke, continuing after she received a brisk nod. "I'll make sure nobody ever hurts your friends and family again if you stay with me for a year. Just a single year for a lifetime of safety." Alex watches as Aria frowns a little, evaluating her options and she has to admit that the little furrow of her brows and wrinkle of her nose is the cutest thing she has ever seen.

"How will you keep them safe?" Aria needs to know everything before she can make a choice, this isn't like deciding what she wants for dinner, this is a year of her life. 

"I have connections, people that can make sure that nobody will try to attack them or harm them in any way and if they need money we can give them that, send it anonymously."

"And what about me? Where will I be going?" Aria can't help but find the idea of her loved ones being cared for like that appealing. 

"A week or so here and then with me back to England and then after a year you can decide where you go, anything you need will be cared for and you will come to no harm but if you try to run away I will have to call off the protection on the others in Rosewood." 

"Can I call them? Or text them at least." Aria begs as she makes up her mind. She is taking the deal, they deserve to be safe, to live a normal life. 

"You can have one call but after that no communication unless I allow it." Alex states firmly, showing that her mind is made up on this and to go against her would be stupid. 

"Spencer. Let me call Spencer." Alex is surprised that she isn't choosing her parents of her supposed fiance but she always keeps her word so she stands and finds her phone, the one she used as AD. 

"I left your phone behind so it can't be tracked. If you try to tell her your location or anything that could be incriminating I will be forced to do something that I won't like. I won't ever hurt you but I am willing to punish you if necessary. Make it quick." Alex keeps her voice low as she tosses the phone over and moves to sit next to Aria again. 

Aria hold her breath as the phone rings. Each beep makes anxiety flow through her, please pick up, please pick up, please pick up.

"Hello?" The voice is raspy and suspicious. Her friend is clearly wondering who is calling her from an anonymous device. 

"Spencer, I don't have a lot of time so I just need you to listen to me for a second."

"Aria, are you alright? You don't sound too good." 

"Listen, I've made a deal of sorts so I can't come back to Rosewood for a year, I can't tell you where I am but you will be safe, I promise you, all of you."

"What kind of deal? You can't leave, we need you. I need you Ari." Spencer is definitely panicking now. 

"I can't say. Tell Ezra I'm sorry and make sure my parents know I love them. I've already left so it's too late to say it myself." Spencer could hear Aria's tears and sobs through the phone and it is breaking her heart. 

"Aria, I will fix this, whatever you agreed to can be undone."

"It's for the best, this is the last time I will be able to speak to you. I'll see you in a year. I love you."

"No Aria, wait. Don't hang up."

"I'm sorry Spence, forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, I love you." 

"Bye Spencie." With that the line went dead, leaving both girls with sobs wracking through their bodies.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Spencer isn't sure of what to make of the phone call, she can't wrap her head around it. Was it real? Has her best friend really left, sacrificed herself for them? She needs to be sure so she stand on shaky feet from where she was sat on her couch. She is going to see Ezra.

It only took her fifteen minutes to do the usually twenty five minute walk. She didn't bother knocking, instead waltzing in in a frenzy. "Ezra!" 

She hears Ezra running through the apartment. "What's wrong?" He seems pick up on her panic.

"Is Aria here?" 

"No, I thought she had gone to one of you girls when she wasn't here this morning, she took a bunch of clothes too."

"She's really gone." Spencer mutters to herself. She falls to her knees as tears stream down her face. 

"Spencer, what do you know? What's happened?" Ezra begs the girl.

"She made a deal Ezra, she called me this morning. She is leaving for a year, no contact of any kind in exchange for our safety. She told me to tell you that she's sorry." Spencer can't bear to see the look on his face so she stares down at the floor, her tears dampening the carpet. She has no idea what to do now. Aria isn't something that can ever be replaced, she's her best friend. 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Alex attempts to console the weeping girl after listening to the car crash of a phone call. "I am sorry Aria, but this is for the best."

Aria pulls away from her. "For the best? You're separating me from the people I love!" Her rage is out of control, she attempts to stand but falls down to her knees beside the bed. Of course Alex rushes to help her but her own anger is building, especially as Aria continues to push her away, even as she is trying to help her. 

"Alright that's it Aria, you're clearly hurt and weak so let me help you for Pete's sake!" Alex doesn't raise her voice but she doesn't need to. The tone is harsh, much harsher than she ever envisioned using towards the love of her life. 

"Just leave me alone." Aria sobs into the edge of the bed, resting her weight onto it. 

Alex has had enough and finally snaps. She storms over and wraps her arms around Aria, throwing her over her shoulder. Her movements are swift and meticulous as she moves sound the room, grabbing the things she needs with Aria fighting her hold weakly, her fists founding against her back rhythmically. "You've left me with no choice." She places the girl back onto the bed but holds her down. 

"What are you doing? No, please don't." Aria assumes the worst as Alex climbs on top of her and tries to get away.

"I would NEVER force you to do anything like that Aria but you do need to learn. You'll stay here tonight, I have another room booked so I will stay there and check on you in a few hours but I know I can't trust you so unfortunately I'm going to have to restrain you again." Alex doesn't give Aria a chance to argue before using a scarf to gag her, tightening the knot on the side of her head so that she can lean her head back comfortably. Next she grabs some rope and binds her wrists to opposite corners of the head board. She makes sure the ropes will hold by tugging on them roughly which makes Aria groan into her gag. She is whimpering, clearly not enjoying this experience. Alex takes the last step, she pulls out a bandanna and winds it around Aria's eyes, blinding her. "I hate doing this to you Aria but I need you to know that you can't defy me like that. I am in charge and always will be. Rest up and I will be back later, if you're good then you can be let out but if not then I will be forced to leave you tied up but in a much less comfortable position."

Alex stands slowly, taking in the masterpiece. Aria looks so perfect, even like this and she can't help but stare at her breasts as they are accentuated but the angling of her arms. She is truly magnificent. Alex may hate that Aria is clearly in distress, if the quiet cries are anything to go by, but she still notices her beauty. She takes on last look at the girl before turning away, walking to the exit swiftly, flicking the lights off as she goes, leaving the tiny brunette in complete darkness, not that she can see through the blindfold anyway. Alex locks the door behind her as she leaves flipping over the sign to turn away house keeping. Aria can't be found, she belongs to her now and only her.

Alex's girl. Alex's Aria.


	5. Learning

As soon as Alex had shut the door behind her she stopped and leaned against the wall and let out a shaky breath. This is not how any of this is meant to be. She had promised herself that she wouldn't do anything to hurt Aria but yet she can faintly hear Aria's cries in her mind as she tied her to the bed. She can't untie her now because Aria will see her weakness and use it to leave her. 

She debates on whether or not she should free Aria to show her that she isn't a monster but she has a lot to do and she needs Aria to stay where she is to achieve her goals. The ends justify the means. She walks across the hall to her own hotel room, slamming her door in frustration. She waltzes over to the bed and throws herself on it so she is faced down but held up on her elbows as she fishes her phone out of her pocket. "Phase two." She whispers to herself. She quickly types out a text to Spencer.

Now now Spencie, don't fret. Little Aria here will be just fine as long as the police don't find out about her disappearance and your little posse don't try and find her. If you do you just might have ANOTHER corpse on your hands. You can have her back in year, and I'll be gone forever. -AD

Alex had chosen Spencer because Aria had already called her so it made sense since she already knew what was going on. Once she had made sure the text had been sent she smashed the phone on the corner of the bedside table before grabbing a jacket and leaving the room, locking it behind her. Her pace is rapid, wanting to get everything done as quickly as possible so she can get back to her love. The lobby is packed with tourists as she pushes her way through until she is outside and she can pull out her tourist map. Her eyes scour the map almost angrily until she spots her destination. 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Alex physically relaxes as she watches her phone plop into the river and it is lost forever. She takes a second before throwing Aria's in too. She walks away with a small smile on her face and heads down the street to the shopping centre. She tightens her jacket around her and picks up her pace until she finds the entrance and barrels through the doors. A rush of warm air hits her at the same time the crowd does. She ducks into the first store she sees to escape them. She takes a look around figuring that the crowd might go down in a few minutes. She was in a jewellery store so she decides to get a gift for Aria whilst she is in there. She stares for several minutes into the endless display cases until she sees it. A beautiful diamond necklace. Aria will love it. She doesn't even look at the price tag before swiping her card and walking out of the store with the gift bag in hand. 

The crowd has died down considerably so she can now see the different stores available to her. She reads each one slowly, figuring out what is what until she sees it. Vetements. Perfect. Alex beelines her way over, not wasting any more time. She skips most of the sections, knowing she would bring Aria here soon anyway. She goes right to the underwear section and picks out some sexy underwear. She is going to make Aria love her, lust after her until she isn't afraid of her anymore. 

Once she had made the purchase she placed the gift bag inside the clothing bag and shifted them into her left hand. She makes a swift escape from the store and eyes the crowd again. "I'm on my way back Ari, don't worry. I'll get you out of there soon." 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Alex feels like she can breathe again as she unlocks the door to Aria's room. With a swift flick of the wrist the light is on and she can see the beautiful girl on the bed, still tied up. She takes slow steps into the room and places the bag down on a chair as she walks past it. Alex climbs up next to Aria on the bed so she is kneeling beside her. Her fingers deftly untie the bandanna and the gag. She smiles softly as she sees that the girl had fallen asleep even though her eyes are red and puffy from crying, she then moves around the girl, untying her hands and bringing her arms down into a more comfortable position. She shifts the girl over onto the right side of the bed rather than the centre so she can sit next to her when she wants to. 

She takes another look at the girl before taking a quick trip over into the other hotel room. While she is there she changes her clothes so that she is wearing the lingerie she bought, which a red and black lace, with a grey long shirt over the top of it. It only pulls down enough that it reaches just below her ass. If she bends down at all she will be exposed. Next she grabs the gift bag and a book before returning to Aria. She is still asleep so she places the bag on the floor next to the bed before sitting next to Aria with her book. 

She is about to open her book but stops and sets it down so she can gently pull Aria into her side and drag the sheets up over them as they cuddle. The smaller girl doesn't stir at all but she does burrow herself into her warm embrace slightly and grasps Alex's shirt in her fist tightly. This time Alex actually does open her book and begin to read but she only gets in a few pages before she feels herself drifting off. 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

When Aria wakes up she expects to still be tied to the posts of the bed. The ropes burned her wrists harshly and she cried into the gag in both pain and fear. Nobody but Spencer knows that she is afraid of the dark so she wanted nothing more than to have the blindfold off and the light on. She had fallen asleep thanks to the remains of the pills she had taken and hours of sobbing. 

She opens her eyes slowly and looks around. She was still on the bed, or should she say in the bed but she has now been joined by Alex, who has clearly fallen asleep by accident as her book is still in her hand but rested on her chest as her head is tilted down so her chin is on top of the book. Aria can't help but think that she looks cute. It is only when she goes to sit up that she realises that she is nestled in the taller girl's arms and she has a firm grip on the girl's shirts. She scrunches her eyebrows slightly as she tries to figure out whether it was her or Alex that had put them in this position. She dismisses the thought quickly and sits up, jostling the other girl awake as she does so, even though she was being gentle because Alex is a very light sleeper.

"Hey there Sleeping Beauty." Alex whispers as she watches Aria sit up. Aria jumps at the unexpected voice.

"Hi." She whispers back, clearly afraid that Alex is going to tie her up again although her strength has returned so she can fight back more she still isn't stronger than Alex.

"I went out earlier, took a little walk and saw something in a store. I thought you'd like it so I got it." Alex admits shyly although she does lie about why she had gone. Aria's eyes light up slightly at the prospect of a gift. "It's an apology, I shouldn't have tied you up and threatened you, I promise you that I won't do it again unless it is absolutely necessary. It wasn't necessary today, you have the right to be angry." 

Alex reaches down and grabs the bag and hands it to Aria, stroking her injured wrists as she does. "We'll find a chemist tomorrow and find something for your wrists." She whispers. Aria takes the bag hesitantly and begins to unravel the tissue paper until she finds the gift. She pulls out a small black box and opens it slowly with shaky hands. Her hazel orbs take in the fine piece of jewellery with an eagerness Alex loves.

Aria breaks out into a wide grin that Alex can tell she is trying to contain but failing. "Thank you, It's beautiful." 

"Just like you." Alex takes the box from Aria and pulls out the necklace, gesturing for the girl to face away so she can clasp it around her neck. It looks perfect on her. "I'm not a monster, I know you're not going to love me overnight but can we at least try to be friends?" Alex says from behind Aria.

Aria turns around and looks Alex in the eyes. "It's going to be hard but I'll try as long as you don't blindfold me anymore."

"Deal." Alex smiles."But why blindfold? You could have asked me not to tie you up." Alex watches as Aria breaks eye contact and blushes in embarrassment, she looks super cute.

"I just...uhh.." Aria stutters slightly. "I'm not a big fan of the dark."

"Duly noted." Alex says softly, "The lamp stays on at night for you." Aria smiles slightly, she was expecting her to make fun of her like Spencer teases her. 

Aria leans back against the pillows and Alex follows suit, moving her book onto the nightstand. "Sorry about falling asleep here, I was just sitting with you and fell asleep, I'm making you uncomfortable aren't I? God, what's wrong with me? My room is across the hall if you need me." Alex begins to panic as they fall into a silence and begins to get up.

Suddenly she is pulled back by a gentle hand. "Wait, please don't leave me here alone." Aria has suddenly got tears in her eyes. "I hate being alone." 

Upon seeing Aria's glossy eyes Alex calms down. "I'll stay, you want to try and find a channel on TV that isn't in french?" Aria nods gratefully and observes Alex as she gets turns the TV on at the socket and bends down to grab the remote. Her eyes bulge as she sees the girl's lace covered ass. She is almost entranced by it and can't move her eyes away until Alex turns and catches her. The girl simply smirks as she looks away, flustered. 

She tries to convince herself that it doesn't turn her on but as she feel her centre grow warm and wet she clears her throat and avoids eye contact at all costs. I don't like Alex. I don't like Alex. I don't like Alex. Alex is hot though. She kidnapped you, idiot. She's just looking for a chance though. I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot that likes Alex. Oh God, I like Alex. Aria begins to think to herself but comes to a realisation she wasn't ready for. 

Alex had found a channel playing Doctor Who and hadn't even thought about it before clicking in it. It doesn't take long before she's too caught up in the daleks to realise Aria is trying to follow but is confused. "Alex, what's going on?"

"Hmm?"

"In the show. I haven't seen this before." Aria explains herself, feeling a little dumb.

"YOU HAVEN'T SEEN DOCTOR WHO? IT'S ONLY THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!" Alex exclaims before pouring into a very long explanation on the whole of Doctor Who. Aria laughs at her response and listens eagerly as Alex talks passionately, loving her accent. 

After the explanation they began to compare different shows and sayings in England and America, the first conversation they have had that isn't about a heavy topic and let's them both relax. Without even realising it they talk into the night until it reaches around 3am so Alex insists on them going to sleep. Aria convinces her to stay again when she goes to sleep in her own room and Alex leaves a lamp on. 

Maybe this can work after all. Alex thinks before letting sleep consume her once more.


	6. Make It Through

As much as I hate this situation and everything that Alex is doing to me and my friends she also makes me feel safe and loved, I haven't felt that in a long time. Not since the beginning of my relationship with Ezra, I can honestly say that I love him, but the thing is, I'm not in love with him and I am 99% sure that he feels the same way- even if he isn't willing to admit it. What we used to have was spectacular, a beautiful thing that we aren't willing to stop fighting for even if we have lost sight of what the true beauty was. The beauty was that safety. We can only provide each other with danger now, sharp blades that pierce our skin and burn us from the inside out. Toxic. 

With Alex, It's like I'm walking through a field of beautiful flowers, no buildings or roads in sight but there are land mines. I can't see them but I know they're there so I have to choose each step with confident precision or else I'll lose my legs. 

I take a glance over the table at her eating pancakes for breakfast. She's already staring at me, it doesn't feel creepy though- her eyes are soft and admiring. "Penny for your thoughts?" She whispers when our eyes meet and I blush. 

The words feel stuck in my throat and tears prickle my eyes, the admission is bitter sweet. "My relationship with Ezra really is over. Isn't it?" 

I watch the sympathy rattle through her before it's taken over with guilt. "That's not my decision."

"Why not? You seem to be making every other choice for me." I can't help but project my anger onto her, my failed relationship isn't her fault however this is the only outlet I have. 

"Aria, I'm done making choices for you, as long as our contract goes unbroken then you can do whatever you want." She stays calm, trying to reason with me but I can't stand her poised righteousness right now. 

"Right, the contract. The one you blackmailed me into. I can't even work on my relationship with him because of you. I can't wait until this year is up so I can be rid of you. I'm trying so hard to hate you Alex...why can't I hate you?"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The tears are flowing freely at this point and she has begun to curl into herself, hugging her knees as she brings them up onto the chair before burying her face into them. 

I continue to stare at her, unmoving, even as I watch her shoulder shake violently with her bone-rattling sobs. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She begins to whimper out over and over again, refusing to look me in the eyes as her face emerges from her knees. Her previous words pained me like a knife had been plunged into my heart but I can barely breathe from the agony of watching her in her current state. I force my body forwards and take her tiny body into my arms, cradling her as I pick her up and walk us over to the bed. 

"It's okay, everything's going to be okay." I murmur to her gently as I lay back with her tucked into my side, her head tucked under my chin. I begin to rub my hands up and down her back in what I hope is a soothing motion and close my eyes, trying to etch the feeling of having Aria in my arms into my brain forever because if things keep going this badly then I'm afraid that I won't be able to stick out a whole year of having the love of my life break down every day because of something I've practically forced her into. 

"How about I run you a bath and then after we can go and see the Eiffel Tower before finding a nice comfy place to have lunch? Sound like a plan?" I murmur into her hair. I'm grateful when I feel her nod against me gently and I shift gently so her head is on the pillow and pull the duvet from the opposite side of the bed over her so she is wrapped up like a sausage roll before making my way into the bathroom and starting her bath for her. Once the water is flowing at a steady pace I add some bubbles and adorn the place with rose petals as well as a few tea lights. I set her a towel on the radiator to warm for when she gets out before going back to Aria, finding her snuggled up in the duvet like a little caterpillar. She's no longer crying, which I'm grateful for, and there's a small, almost-there smile across her face now as she is awake but clearly unwilling to move. 

"I started your bath so it will be ready in a minute, are you alright on your own or do you want me to help you with anything?" She meets my eyes and gives me a thankful look as she lazily unravels herself from the sheets. 

"I'll be okay." Just as we are walking past each other she grips my wrist lightly. "Thank you Alex." Those simple words are causing a flush of blood to rise to my cheeks, causing me to duck my head towards the ground as I continue to walk back to the table where there are still some pancakes left. 

I chew very slowly, listening out for any signs of Aria needing help, she appears to be in an incredibly fragile state so I don't want anything else adding to the pressure. 

I must look like a freak, sitting there just staring at the bathroom door as I non-committedly chew on whatever food my hand lands on. It takes at least fifteen minutes of this before I finally give up waiting and knock lightly on the bathroom door. "Hey, are you okay in there?" I wait for a reply of some sort but when I don't hear one I begin to panic so immediately throw the door open and bold inside, scanning the room frantically. The door slams back against the wall loudly causing Aria to jolt awake from where she appeared to have fallen asleep in the tub. 

We lock eyes for a second before I look away, embarrassed "Oh God, I'm sorry. You didn't reply when I shouted and panicked. I'm sorry... I'm j-just going to go now, bye." I covered my eyes as I bean talking and tried to find the exit as I announced my departure but only succeeded in walking into the door frame. I was surprised to hear a symphony of giggles erupt from behind me. 

"You can open your eyes Alex. You put that many petals in here that this bath is 85% flower, 10% water and 5% Aria. You'd need a magnifying glass if you wanted to try and locate my body in this mass of crap." I blush as I uncover my eyes. "Would you mind passing me a towel though please?" 

"Of course." I practically leap into action, stumbling as I reach for it, making Aria giggle once more. I hand her the towel and turn to leave once again. 

"Hey Alex?" I stop but don't turn around. "I'm sorry I was a bitch." A small smile graces my lips.

"Don't worry about it." 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It's another twenty minutes before she emerges from the bathroom, she's dressed in a beautiful white summer dress, her hair is in lose waves and she has a small amount of make-up on. She looks like the definition of perfection. 

"How'd I look?"

"Amazing." I breathe out. 

"So do you have planed for what you want to do today?" She asks almost timidly as she plants herself on the edge of the bed facing me. 

"I thought maybe we could take a walk around and just go with the flow. Was there something that you wanted to do in particular?" She shrugs at my question, it's clear to see that there is something she wants to do. "We have plenty of time so if you have something that you want to do we can." She meets my eyes nervously. 

"Well...I thought maybe, if you wanted to...we could go and do one of those weird french cooking classes but if you don't want to that's fine. Just forget I said anyth-" I cut her cute ramble off fairly quickly.

"That sounds like fun. I'll have a google and see if there are any nearby." I watch as she ducks her head down and smiles softly, triggering my own smile as I pull out my phone. "Alright, it looks like there's one in a couple hours so I'll see if there's any spaces left." 

She sits anxiously as I speak to the guy that runs the classes. I give her a thumbs up and confirm our places before hanging up and taking a few steps towards her and hold out my hand to pull her up. She takes it without hesitation and lingers for a second before pulling it away. 

"We've got some time left so shall we just walk around for a bit, love?" She nods before dashing tot he door excitedly causing me to chuckle.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next hour is filled with smiles, giggles and excitement as I let Aria guide us through busy streets to peek into shops and at monuments. This is exactly what I've been craving ever since I first layed my eyes on her. The light is reflecting off of her hair perfectly as she flicks it back over her shoulder, exposing her neck and the cute little freckle that is the perfect shade to accentuate her ivory skin. 

"We should probably head to that class now, you ready?" She nods excitedly and takes my hand, pulling me along. The tingling in my hand transfers into a rush of heat that blazes through my body, burning me from the inside out but it feels like pure bliss. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I blink heavily as I wipe away a bunch of flour from around my eyes just as another handful slams into the side of my head. "That's it Montgomery." I grab a handful myself and launch it at her, checking to see if the instructor is looking or not first. She reels back for a second before grabbing the one thing I had feared would end in disaster. She jumps up and slams the egg down on the top of my head with a small shriek of joy. 

"Take that Drake, Montgomerys never lose." Her laughter is infectious and soon enough I'm laughing along with her even after the instruction clues in on what happened and gives us death stares. 

It takes a lot longer than it's supposed to but eventually we get the cakes in the oven to bake and take turns trying to clean each other off, although it's a lot more work for her since I'm literally covered from head to toe, I look like a bloody mess. 

It's clear by the end of the class that the instructor hates us but I can't find it in me to care as we carry out the two cakes we made; one fruit and one triple chocolate. There's no doubt about how much she affects me, one look from her and I'm putty in her hands. What's that Aria you want to sit in a random field and eat chunks of cake with your hands? Let's go. You want me to carry your things? No problem. Carry you? Hop on. I'm a mess. 

We end up stumbling into the hotel room with half eaten cakes, a dozen bags and three bottles of wine. She doesn't waste a second before dropping the bags she was holding and opening one of the bottles and taking a swig. 

We fall back onto the bed gracelessly with a bottle each open and the TV switched on some random show that neither of us are really watching. "Aria?" 

"Hmm?"

"Did you have fun today?" I tilt my head towards where she is lying half asleep.

"mm-hmm" She confirms sleepily, nuzzling into the pillow as I gently take the half-empty bottle out of her hands. 

"Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about how long it's taking me to update, I don't know where to take this story so if you have any ideas please let me know. -MM


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